Wales wing Alex Cuthbert has admitted he has been frustrated by his stuttering start to the season as he bids to retain his form and fitness ahead of the Australia showdown next week.

Cuthbert has only managed one try in six Guinness Pro12 games in a struggling Blues side and missed the region’s last two European Challenge Cup victories with a niggling groin problem.

Since his international debut in 2011, the 24-year-old has proved a prolific scorer for Wales with 12 tries in 26 caps and a further score in his only Lions Test appearance against Australia in June 2013.

It is this sort of try poaching form Cuthbert hopes to demonstrate with the Welsh set-up next month starting against the Wallabies on November 8.

The former Wales Sevens player has reflected on his lean period so far this season and hopes it is just a blip.

Alex Cuthbert in action fort he Blues (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

“It has been very frustrating for myself,” admitted Cuthbert.

“I am a player who likes to get the ball as much as possible.

“That is where I do my damage and not to have been able to do that over the last six or seven weeks has been very frustrating.

“I have been trying to get my form right and getting back to my peak.

“I have been working hard over the last couple of weeks after picking up a niggle and trying to get that right.

“It was in my groin and it has not really been worth pushing and maybe being out a lot longer than I would have been.

“Everything is okay this week and my fitness is getting back to 100 per cent.”

In contrast to Cuthbert and the struggling Blues, his fellow Welsh wing commander George North has been in devastating form for Northampton, topped off by his fantastic four-try performance against the Ospreys last weekend.

“Four tries speaks for itself,” said Cuthbert.

“Northampton are playing well and he’s also playing well so they are helping each other.

“It is a great confidence for him coming into the Wales camp.

“Hopefully he will bring that same form for us.”

North has been tipped for a move into the Welsh midfield if the current centre crisis does not ease. Jamie Roberts is the only fully fit specialist centre available with Jonathan Davies (shoulder), Scott Williams (hamstring), Cory Allen (muscle strain) all currently on the sidelines, although it is hoped the injured trio will prove their fitness for the Wallabies match.

But when asked whether these injury problems had hampered this week’s build-up, Cuthbert replied. “Not at all. We have a lot of boys who have been in full training and if not they are doing a bit less than usual.

“It has not interrupted us at all and there are a lot of boys who can just step in like George, Tom Prydie and Hallam Amos.

“There has been quite a lot of rotation and I’m sure when the players come back there will be a selection headache for the coaches.”

Cuthbert insisted this week’s Wales training had been worthwhile as they prepare to face Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and South Africa in consecutive weeks next month.

“We all sat down at the start of the week and we knew it was going to be tough and it has been,” he added.

“Everyone has responded well and is upbeat.

“We have been doing a lot of fitness and conditioning work and it’s a big step up from club rugby.

“The intensity is increased and we are preparing to play against the best players in the world.

“That is no disrespect to club rugby but on average there is at least about 10 minutes more ball in play time in international rugby.”

Cuthbert also revealed the squad had dissected in great detail the closing stages of the second Test against South Africa defeat in Nelspruit where Wales surrendered a 13-point lead in the closing stages on the way to a heartbreaking 31-30 loss.

“We have gone through the South Africa games very thoroughly as a squad and we have been quite critical,” added Cuthbert.

“It won’t be hard to work out there has been the most attention on the last 10 minutes of the second Test.”

It is this lack of clinical edge that has dogged Welsh rugby under Warren Gatland’s era with 24 defeats in 25 matches against the southern hemisphere since the New Zealander took charge in January 2008.

Wales have lost their last nine matches against the Wallabies and this will be the last occasion Gatland’s men will face the Wallabies before the two sides face each other in the World Cup pool of death. But Cuthbert denies Wales have a mental block.

“We know how we can play and how we can beat them,” said the Blues wing.

“We need to bring it all together for the whole 80 minutes but we have been saying that for the last four or five years.

“We will be working hard over the next two weeks and there will be more emphasis on it.”

But Cuthbert believes Australia will prove just as tough despite the Wallabies losing their away matches in the Rugby Championship and just having appointed Michael Cheika as their new coach.

“Just because they have changed their coach and lost a few away games, I don’t think you can read too much into that,” added Cuthbert.

“They are playing well and could have won any of those away matches.

“They could have beaten the All Blacks in the last game and with their new coach coming in now, he will add more to the players confidence and the squad as a whole.

“They are also playing a match against the Barbarians this weekend before they play us.